Bath Mayor appoints committees
Town of Bath Mayor Susan Webster appointed a chairman and committee members to six of the seven committees required by town ordinance. The Cemetery Committee was not appointed because the non-profit Greenway Cemetery Commission manages the cemetery.
The appointments were made during the Tuesday evening, November 1 town council meeting.
The following committees were appointed:
Finance – Chairman Andy Swaim, Susan Webster and Kenny Easton
Public Works – Chairman Kenny Easton, Scott Merki and David Bowers
Public Safety – Chairman Scott Merki, David Bowers and Vincent Kidwell
Water – Chairwomen Susan Webster, Scott Merki and Andy Swaim,
Ordinance – Chairman David Bowers, Vincent Kidwell and Kenny Easton
Grant – Chairman Vincent Kidwell, Andy Swaim and Susan Webster
“We felt, I believe in the last couple meetings that there are enough of us here with the new appointees that we can move forward with new committee members,” Webster said.
David Bowers and Vincent Kidwell were appointed in September to fill two of the three vacant seats on council.
Purchasing cards
Locke Wysong and Gary Cogle of the state Auditor’s Office appeared before council to answer questions about the state’s purchasing card program.
The program provides a 1.5 percent rebate on a quarterly basis for purchases between $1 and $500,000 made with the cards. The rebate amount goes up on costlier purchases.
Locke said the county already has the cards and used them for items purchased during courthouse construction. The county Board of Education also uses the cards.
The purchasing cards are from Visa and are typically given to town employees to use for expenses such as gasoline, vehicle repairs or office supplies.
The cards may be used for large capital purchases if it is stipulated in the RFP that the bidders must honor the state’s purchasing card.
Council voted to go with the purchase card program for both the town and water works. A set of policies need to be written to govern employee’s use of the cards.
Town Clerk Margie Allgyer said she is aiming to get the card program started in January.
Grants received
Delegate Daryl Cowles presented the council with two state Community Participation Program grants.
One $3,000 grant is to the Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Department for new equipment.
Another $2,000 grant was given to Police Chief Craig Pearrell. Pearell said he would use the grant to buy weapons and a new computer for the office.
Second partial waiver granted Allgyer reported the West Virginia Public Service Commission has granted a second partial waiver of the town’s water moratorium to the Berkeley Springs Water Department to install the equivalent of 100 additional residential new water taps.
The town had received a waiver for 100 new water taps earlier this year and now may install the equivalent of 200 new residential water taps.
The town is maintaining a list of those who have requested new water taps.
Allgyer said only six new taps have been requested and installed so far.
Appointment to Parks & Rec Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Beadenkopf reported that Jeremy Compton, one of the town’s representatives on the Parks & Rec board, has resigned because he is moving to Martinsburg.
Beadenkopf introduced Gary Slaght to the council and recommended him as Compton’s replacement.
Slaght said he is now retired, but was a basketball and baseball coach at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C. He lives in the Great Cacapon area and wants to serve on the Parks & Rec board.
The council voted to appoint Slaght to the board. Gordon McLeod is the other town representative on the board and one seat is still available.
The Parks & Rec board is made up of three members each from the county, town and Board of Education. The board meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Morgan County Rescue Squad.
Other Business
Rick Kesecker of the Mountain State Cruisers asked the council for permission to hold a large car show on Father’s Day, June 17, 2012 and to bag parking meters on Fairfax and Washington streets next to the park that day.
The Cruisers plan to have over a 100 cars in the park from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Chuck Dawson of Berkeley Land Surveys has determined a bridge over Coughlin Street is not owned by the town. The bridge is owned by the three property owners adjacent to the bridge. One half of the bridge is owned by Charles Willard and one quarter each is owned by Jennefer Omps and James Curtis Perry, Dawson reported.
The Willards had asked the town for assistance in repairing the bridge.
Trinity Asbury Church has made a similar request to the town for assistance in paving the alleyway to their parking lot. Webster said she would have town’s attorney Richard Gay research ownership of the alleyway.
The town will bag parking meters for free parking the four days of the Thanksgiving holiday and between Christmas and New Year’s. At Councilman Andy Swaims suggestion, Chief Pearrell will buy paper bags and have the art class at the intermediate school decorate the bags for the season.
